The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk page. (December 2010)

convertible (combination clip-on/button-on) braces

Suspenders (American English) or braces (British English) are fabric or leather straps worn over the shoulders to hold up trousers. Straps may be elasticated, either entirely or only at attachment ends and most straps are of woven cloth forming an X or Y shape at the back. Braces are typically attached to trousers with buttons using leather tabs at the ends or with clips. In British English the term suspenders or suspender belt refers to a garment used to hold up stockings, what in American English is called a garter belt.

History[link]

There have been several precursors to suspenders throughout the past 300 years, but the modern type were first invented in 1822 by Albert Thurston and were once almost universally worn due to the high cut of mid-nineteenth and early twentieth century trousers, a cut that made a belt impractical. After losing popularity during World War I, as men became accustomed to uniform belts, suspenders were still standard throughout the 1920s. Because of their image as underwear,^[1] men switched to belts during the 1930s as the waistcoats which had hidden braces became worn less. This also signaled the switch of position of the buttons from the outside of the waistband to the inside. Though the return of fuller-cut trousers in the 1940s revived braces, they did not dominate over belts again to the same extent.^[1]

Fashion[link]

Larry King is known for his suspenders.

While they have been in and out of fashion over the last century (alternating with belts in general preference), there has been a brief resurgence in interest due to the styles seen in period dramas such as the 2008 re-make of Brideshead Revisited.^[2]

Current wearers include actor Martin Shaw as his TV alter-ego Judge John Deed, and Daniel Craig — particularly as James Bond, 007.^[3] Many business people, newscasters (such as Larry King in the United States)^[4] and professionals^[5] such as lawyers also wear suspenders. John Barrowman playing Captain Jack Harkness in the TV show Torchwood often wears suspenders, as does Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor in Doctor Who. The Simpsons character Lenny, one of Homer's friends, wears a blue pair over his green shirt. Steve Urkel from the 1990's family sitcom "Family Matters" wears a collection of suspenders in each episode he stars in. Louis Tomlinson from the band 'One Direction' often wears suspenders.

Suspenders are also a typical part of skinhead, and to a lesser extent, punk fashion. In skinhead and punk fashion suspenders are typically between ³⁄₄ and 1 inch (1.9 and 2.5 cm) in width. To some skinheads the color and placement (either up around the shoulders or down around the waist) of braces may have political significance.

Materials used for making suspenders have also changed over time, with newer additions such as rayon, a hard-wearing synthetic fibre, now offered as well as the standard boxcloth (a fuzzy woollen cloth). Silk, though traditional, is not long-lasting.^[4]

Wearing suspenders[link]

High quality suspenders are usually considered^{[weasel words]} white collar (US), or upper or upper-middle class (UK) wear and are made to be attached to trousers by buttons only.^[4] Noted manufacturers include Albert Thurston^[4] (sold re-branded by most outfitters), who supply high-profile actors, such as Daniel Craig in the role of James Bond in Casino Royale and Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko in Wall Street and John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness in Torchwood.^[3]

In traditional or formal settings, it is considered a faux pas to wear both suspenders and a belt at the same time,^[1][6] though this has not always been the case among all classes in the past. Further, it was considered by some that suspenders are actually underwear and that as such, they should never be seen at all.^[1] As was usual before World War II, the waistcoat, or for coolness in summer a jumper or cardigan, covered up parts of clothing then considered improper to be seen, such as suspenders, and similarly jumpers and jackets kept the shirtsleeves hidden. Even before the War, however, men began removing jackets in public, and so this sensibility was eroded. It is perhaps only in Britain that some still consider it "gauche"^[4] to wear (for example) brightly coloured suspenders, or suspenders with no jacket. In general however, it is now considered acceptable on both sides of the Atlantic for suspenders to be visible.

The trousers for suspenders have buttons for attaching the tabs, either on the outside (traditionally) or on the inside of the waistband, which does not have belt loops. Such trousers might also have a high back in the fishtail shape, though this is not so common now;^[4] this shape has an additional adjuster strap at the back as well as the two side adjusters placed on most belt-less trousers.

References[link]

Amanda Louise Holden (born 16 February 1971) is a British actress and presenter. Among her roles are Mia Bevan in Cutting It, Sarah Trevanion in Wild at Heart, and the title role in Thoroughly Modern Millie, for which she was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award. Since 2007, Holden has been a judge on Britain's Got Talent.

She is married to record producer Chris Hughes. Her marriage to Family Fortunes presenter Les Dennis ended in divorce in 2003.

Biography[link]

This section of a biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (May 2010)

Holden was born in Bishop's Waltham, Hampshire to Judith Mary Harrison and Naval petty officer Frank Holden. Her parents split up when she was four and she was brought up in the village of Waltham Chase, by Harrison and stepfather Leslie Drew Collister.^[1] She joined the Bishop's Waltham Little Theatre Company when she was nine, and credits Angie Blackford as influential in her early stage career. When she was 16 the family moved to Bournemouth and ran a small B&B while Amanda herself studied Drama and English literature A levels with Terry Clarke and Charles Lamb at the Jellicoe Theatre, now part of Bournemouth and Poole College. She successfully auditioned for the independent drama school Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in the Wood Green area of North London when she was 18, graduating in July 1994.

Television career[link]

Her first television appearance was as a contestant on the UK game show Blind Date in 1991, since which she has become a familiar face on British television. Holden appeared in the ITV drama Wild at Heart as Sarah Trevanion. She is currently a judge on Britain's Got Talent alongside Simon Cowell, David Walliams and Alesha Dixon and previously Piers Morgan, Kelly Brook, Michael McIntyre and David Hasselhoff. She has appeared on various British comedy and drama series such as Smack the Pony, EastEnders, Hearts and Bones, Cutting It and as a co-star with Harry Enfield in comedy series Celeb.^[2]

In April 2009, it was reported that the US network CBS had offered Holden the job of one-time guest presenter on The Early Show, a daytime talk show.^[3] Holden confirmed that she would host the show,^[4] and presented alongside regular presenters Harry Smith and Maggie Rodriguez on 1 June.^[5] Holden has since been signed up with CBS as a British correspondent for The Early Show.

In July 2009, Holden became a gossip columnist for the News of the World's celebrity-oriented magazine Fabulous.^[6] In January 2010, she started a new three-part show called Amanda Holden's Fantasy Lives.

Acting career[link]

Holden has appeared in several stage musicals and in 2004 was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in the West End production of Thoroughly Modern Millie (musical),^[2] which closed earlier than expected at the end of June 2004.^[7][8]

She appeared in the ITV1 drama Wild at Heart, alongside Stephen Tompkinson and Ross Kent. The first series aired in 2006 and a second series followed in early 2007. Series three ran from 20 January to 9 March 2008, after which Holden left the programme. She then appeared as Lizzie the Ring Mistress in the sitcom Big Top (BBC1, 2009), which ran for one series.

Holden's other TV credits include three series of the hit comedy Kiss Me Kate alongside Caroline Quentin, three series of the ITV comedy series The Grimleys, Celeb with Harry Enfield, the critically acclaimed BBC series Hearts and Bones alongside Damian Lewis, the Jonathan Creek episode "The Problem at Gallowes Gate" and a Boxing Day special Marple alongside Geraldine McEwan and John Hannah. She also co-starred with Bill Nighy and Tom Courtenay in Ready When You Are, Mr McGill, Jack Rosenthal's classic comedy drama.

She most recently finished playing the role of Princess Fiona in the original West End production of Shrek the Musical, which began on 6 May 2011. The show opened at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on 14 June 2011.^[9] She starred alongside Nigel Lindsay, Richard Blackwood and Nigel Harman. Holden departed the show on 3 October 2011, ten weeks earlier than planned, to focus on her unborn child. She was replaced by Girls Aloud singer Kimberley Walsh. For this role Holden won the WhatsOnStage.com Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best Actress in a Musical.^[10]

Personal life[link]

Holden married the comedian Les Dennis in June 1995. They had a temporary split in 2000 when Holden's affair with actor Neil Morrissey^[11] was exposed in the press, before eventually separating in December 2002 and divorcing in 2003.^[12]

On 20 January 2006, Holden gave birth to her first child, Alexa "Lexi" Louise Hughes with fiancé Chris Hughes.^[13] She married record producer Hughes at Babington House,^[14] Somerset, on 10 December 2008 with former Formula One racing driver David Coulthard acting as the best man. In early January 2011, Holden announced she was pregnant with a baby boy and that he was due to be born in March 2011.^[15] On 1 February 2011 her son was stillborn.^[16] She had previously suffered a miscarriage in May 2010.^[17] On 23 January 2012 she gave birth to a daughter, Hollie Rose, who weighed in at 6.1 lbs (2.8 kg). They live in Richmond, Surrey.

Holden ran the London Marathon in 4 hours and 13 minutes on 13 April 2008, in the name of the Born Free Foundation,^[18] having collected public and celebrity sponsors online.

Holden is a fan of Everton Football Club and attends games when her work permits.^[19] Holden fronted Everton's breast cancer awareness campaign, sporting a limited edition baby pink club shirt, the colour of breast cancer awareness.^[20] In September 2011, Holden was sponsored to bake a cake for every child in the Great Ormond Street Hospital.^{[citation needed]}

Activism[link]

Holden campaigned to keep a Sainsbury's out of Bishop's Waltham. Residents of her hometown later accused her of a double standard in November 2010 when she signed a deal with Tesco, the UK's largest supermarket chain.^[21]

Filmography[link]

• Superstar (2012-present)
• The Door (2010)
• Out Of My Depth (2009)
• Big Top (TV series) (2009–2010)
• Britain's Got Talent (TV show) (2007–present)
• Wild at Heart (2006–2008) (TV series)
• Mad About Alice (2004) (TV series)
• 4:50 From Paddington (2004) (TV film)
• Eternal Rectangle (2003) (TV series)
• Ready When You Are, Mr McGill
• Celeb (2002) (TV series)
• Now You See Her (2001) (TV film)
• Happy Birthday Shakespeare (2000) (TV film)
• Hearts and Bones (2000) (TV series)
• The Grimleys (1999–2001) (TV series)
• Virtual Sexuality (1999) (film)
• Smack The Pony (1999) (TV series)
• Don't Go Breaking My Heart (1998) (film)
• Kiss Me Kate (1998–2001) (TV series)
• Jonathan Creek (1998) (TV series)
• Goodness Gracious Me (1998) (TV series)
• Intimate Relations (1996) (film)
• EastEnders as Carmen (1994) (TV series)
• Blind Date (1991) contestant

References[link]

External links[link]

• Amanda Holden at the Internet Movie Database
• Amanda Holden's official website

v t e Britain's Got Talent Got Talent Series 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 Presenters Ant & Dec · Stephen Mulhern Judges Current Simon Cowell · Amanda Holden · Alesha Dixon · David Walliams Former Kelly Brook · Piers Morgan · Michael McIntyre · David Hasselhoff Guest Louis Walsh · Carmen Electra Winners Paul Potts · George Sampson · Diversity · Spelbound · Jai McDowall · Ashleigh and Pudsey Other notable contestants Series 1 Bessie Cursons · Connie Talbot · Damon Scott · Bar Wizards · Jake Pratt Series 2 Signature · Andrew Johnston · Escala · Faryl Smith · Kate and Gin · Charlie Green · Charlie Wernham Series 3 Susan Boyle · Julian Smith · Aidan Davis · Hollie Steel · Shaheen Jafargholi · Callum Francis · DJ Talent · Flawless · John Farnworth Series 4 Twist and Pulse · Paul Burling · ReConnected · Myles and Connor · Kev Orkian · Stevie Starr · The Cheeky Girls · Matthew Ahmet Series 5 Ronan Parke · Out of the Blue Series 6 Jonathan and Charlotte · Only Boys Aloud · The Loveable Rogues · Ryan O'Shaughnessy  · Molly Rainford · The Zimmers Related articles List of episodes · Discography · SYCOtv · FremantleMedia · talkbackTHAMES · Thames · ITV Category